There is no one right way to celebrate Thanksgiving. The only requirement of this holiday is to show thanks in some form. Some people choose to do so through traditional home-cooked meals of turkey and potatoes, while others might prefer volunteering or taking part in marathons. All in all, there is so much diversity in thanksgiving traditions, though we often forget to celebrate and show gratitude to ourselves. This year, it’s time to say thank you to the person who’s shown up for you time and time again: yourself.
Unsure of how to start this seemingly difficult feat? Try out gratitude journaling. While some might see it as a chore or an extra piece of homework, others argue that it is a relaxing way to unwind after a stressful day. So, this past week I decided to try it out for myself in hopes of finding strategies to better show myself some self-love this Thanksgiving season.
I wanted to try out a method of gratitude journaling that wouldn’t feel like just another item on my to-do list. After a bit of searching, I came across Intelligent Change’s Five Minute Journal. Here’s what I learned:
They weren’t lying. The Five Minute Journal truly does take only five minutes. There are five questions—three that need to be answered before your day officially starts and two that can be completed before you head off to bed. The first three questions ask you to list three things you are grateful for, three things that would make today great, and three daily affirmations. These questions guide you to a place of appreciation and affirmation, limiting you to three answers per question, and ensuring thoughtful efficiency. The last two questions ask you to list three amazing things that happened today and ways that today could have been better. The notion of reflecting on the bright parts of your day generates a sense of gratitude for all that you accomplished and experienced.
I personally found myself feeling more excited about my day after completing the daytime questions and feeling prouder of myself after answering the nighttime ones. The questions prompted me to reflect on the parts of my life and myself that I am grateful for, so even on rough days, I still had three things I could look at in my journal and think to myself: I am so thankful for today.
The Five Minute Journal was a great way to prepare myself for this Thanksgiving season as I put a lot of focus on feeling grateful for myself and finding ways to make my day great on my own. I’m looking forward to continuing to practice gratitude journaling even after Thanksgiving because there’s truly nothing like showing yourself some much-needed love.
Try out gratitude journaling this Thanksgiving. You’ll thank yourself later!